Filing folder and method of manufacturing the same



F. D, JONAS April 14,v 1936.

FILING FOLDER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME Filed April 26, 1934 Patented Apr. 14, 1936 FILING FOLDER AND METHOD 0F MANU- FACTURING THE SAME Frank D. Jonas, East Williston, N. Y., assignor to Oxford Filing Supply Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., a partnership comprising Richard A. Jonas, Richard A. Jonas, Jr., Robert P. Jonas, Frank D. Jonas, and Edward F. Jonas Application April 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,452

(Cl. 12S-16.8)

along the width of the flap where stresses are light or non-existent. To provide suilicient depth of reinforcement under the tab would require that this added margin'of stock be carried uniformly out over the entire width of the flap, resulting not only in use of additional material, but also imparting unnecessary bulk to the folders therebyfreducing the filing space.

As these tabbed folders are largely used in staggered formation in the le, the aggregate bulk in the i'lle, of folders made according to my invention, is concentrated at the tab and hence these reinforced areas do not coincide ln position.

The present invention provides adequate additional reinforcement at this important point around the tab base, which result may be secured without using any more material than is required `in the manufacture of the current types of tabbed folders reinforced along the entire edge.

This economy of manufacture is very important as in such a relatively simple product as filing folders the material employed represents by far the major item in cost. It is apparent, therefore, that any saving in stock will result in an appreciable reduction in the cost of manufacture.

4The economy of manufacture of the preferred structure of this invention is obtained by a method of manufacture of the folders from a continuous web or strip, as will be described.

By means of the method of this invention a filing folder is produced having a reinforced projecting tab which requires a length of stock which is shorter than the length of stock required by normal methods by an amount equal to the heights of the tab. In a 20 filing folder a 1/2 tab represents approximately 21/2% of the total amount of stock. Where, in accordance with prior practices, folders of this type are made from stock in the form of sheets, thesheets must be longer by the length of the tab thanis required by the method of this invention where the folders are made from a long strip or roll of stock. Furthermore, for any given size of folder the percentage saving in stock is greater the greater the height of the tab.

Referring to the drawing, the strip as itis fed from the roll of stock, is indicated generally at I. The rst operation on the strip consists in cutting it into lengths along the linesfZ to form a tab or skirt 3 on the leading edge of the strip and a complementary recess 4 on the trailing edge of the strip. Thus the folder blanks 20 are cut from the strip and have a form as illustrated at A in the drawing. It may be noted here that the length of the sheet 20 may, in accordance 7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in tabbed filing folders employed in filing systems for segregating and indicating correspondence and other papers pertaining to the subject heading on the tab.

An important object of this invention is to provide in a tabbed file folder, a reinforcement for the tab and the surrounding area adjacent thereto, to enable the folder to withstand the handling to which it is subjected in use.

Another important object is the provision of the reinforcement only at the area needed, thereby preventing any undue bulking up of the le due to the construction of the folder itself.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a method of manufacturing whereby this reinforced tab is produced without increase in material used.

These and many other objects, as will appear from the following disclosure, are secured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement, relative location of parts, steps and series of steps, all as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the drawing- Figure 1 shows a portion of a strip of stock indicating the manner in which it is cut to form the filing folders and the various operations for completing the folders;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the method of forming a modified form of filing folder; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of another modified form of folder.

Fig. 4 is an edge elevational View of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is an edge elevational view of Fig. 2.

The tab projection of a filing folder bears the brunt of the handling which these folders receive in use, inasmuch as the folders are not only usulally extracted from the files by grasping the tab and front lap, but this projection is subjected to severe handling also in the acts of separating the contents of the le container in order to make accessible the folder desired. Thus, Vas is well 'known, the tab not only serves to display the heading, but because of the severity and frequency of the manipulative forces to which it is subjected, it is desirable that it be sufliciently strong to withstand such forces.

The current practice in reinforcement provides a margin of double thickness at the tab and along the top edge of the back flap, but although the stresses in use are largely concentrated at or around the tab, the double thickness margin is of no greater depth under the tab than elsewhere with the method of this invention, be made shorter by the height of the tab. The dotted line 5 indicates the main line of fold for forming the folder. The dotted line 6 represents the line of fold for portion 1, as is clear at position B in Fig. 1. This iiap 'Iris glued down inv place to form a double thickness edge as is clear from the drawing. The .dotted line 8 represents the line of cut to remove the waste parts 9, leaving a projectingv tab Il). Thus the iinishedproduct, prior to the.

final folding along the line 5, is indicated at C in Fig. 1. The tabbed edge of the strip is the double thickness at the portions 1. The sheet is then folded along the line 5 to provide the completed folder.

The method of manufacturing the folder of Figs. 2 and 3 will now be described concurrently and the difference in construction of the.- folder of Fig. 3 as distinguished from Fig. 2 will be pointed out at the appropriate place.

The method of manufacturing the folder of Figs. 2 and 3 is essentially the; same as that describedv in connection with Fig. l.. The folder blanks 30; are cut'from a continuousr web tothe proper, length, and in the form shown in Fig. 2 are cut into; uniform rectangles without notches or projections. One edge is then cut along the line 3| to providean edge suchas providedby cutting along the lines 2; as previously described in. connectionv with Fig. l. The tabbed edge is then folded over along the dotted line indicated inFig. 2. 'Ihe width of the strip 32, which is defined by the folding is equal to the height of the tab 33. The areas or portions 32 are then cut away to form the tab 33. Analysis will show that this method is quite similar to that of Fig. 1 in-the formation of the reinforced tab and only varies therefrom by the width of the body portion of the fold-over, which in Fig'. 2 is entirely cut away, (as indicated by portions 32,) to form the tab projection. In other words the width of the portions 32 of Fig. 2is less than the widthl of the corresponding folded over portion of the form in Fig.v 1 by the width of the portions T of that form. To state thisv fact another way, the width of the portion 32. is equal to the height of the tab I0, while the portion 'l in Fig. 1 is equal to the height of tab Il] plus the width of the portion between lines 2 and 8, which, of course, may vary;

The structure of Fig. 3 only differs from that of Fig. 2 inthat the edge of the front flap is provided-with a notch 34 in alignment with the reinforced area belowA the tab 33. rIhus the folder of Fig.` 3 is-made exactly in accordance with the method of Fig. 1, except for the width of the fold. over of the-tab, which in thisv case is the same as that described in connection with Fig. 2. From the abo-ve description it will be apparent that` this invention resides in certain principles of vconstruction and precedure which may be ernbodied in other physical forms and carriedout in other ways by those skilled in the art without departure from the scope of this invention. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limitedto the disclosure as given for purposes of illustration, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is- 1. In a file folder formed from a single piece of stock, a front fiap, a back flap, an extension on the top edge of the back flap folded upon itself and secured to the back flap to form an area of double thickness comprising a tab projection, side portions extending therefrom for substantially the width of the back flap and a skirt portion extending downwardly in opposed relationship to the tab projection.

2. In a le folder formed from a single piece of stock, a front flap, a back flap, an extension on the top edge of the back flap fol-ded upon itself and secured to the back flap to form an area of double thickness comprising a tab projection, side portions extending therefrom for substantially the width of the back flap and a skirt portion extending downwardly in opposed rel-ationship to the tab projection, and a cut-out along the top edge of the front flap aligned with said tab projection.

3. In a filing folder with front and back flaps, an extension at the top of the back' flap folded upon and secured to said back flap to provide a double-thickness tab projection, a double thickness margin along substantially the full length of saidtop edge of said back fiap, and a double thickness portion underlying the tab projection and extending below said margin.

4. In a filing folder with front and back fiaps, an extension at the top of the back flap folded upon and secured to said back flap to provide a ldouble thickness tab projection, av double thickness margin lalong substantially the full length of said top edge of said back flap, a double thickness portion underlying the tab projection and extending below said margin, and a cut-out along the top edge of the front flap aligned with said tab projection.

5. The method of manufacturing le folders which comprises cutting one edge of a blank to leave a projecting tab, folding over the cut edge and securing it to the blank and then cutting out portions of the double thickness thus provided to provide a double thickness tab projecting above the cut edge of the blank.

6. The method of manufacturing file folderswhich consists in advancing a continuous web of stock, cutting the web into lengths along a line which forms a notch on the trailing edge of each length and a skirt or projection on the leading edge of each length, folding over the leading edge of each length and securing it to the main body thereof, and cutting out a portion on each side of the folded edge toprovi-de a double thickness tab.

7. The method of manufacturing file folders which consists in cutting -a continuous web of stock into lengths along a line which forms a skirt on one edge of each length and a notch on the opposite edge, folding over the skirted edge of each length and securing it to the main body portion thereof, and cutting out a portion on each side of the folded edge to provide a Idouble thickness tab.

FRANK D. JONAS. 

